DRS has improved umpiring: Kirsten

Gary Kirsten, the new South Africa coach, has come out in support of the Decision Review System (DRS), describing it as a "great system" that had had a positive effect on umpiring standards.

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Gary Kirsten, the new South Africa coach, has come out in support of the Decision Review System (DRS), describing it as a "great system" that had had a positive effect on umpiring standards. However, Kirsten, who quit as India coach after the team won the World Cup, admitted there were misgivings about the system in India.

"I think what it has done is; that it has increased the consistency of umpiring so I am a fan of it but I know there are some negative views of it within India," Kirsten told Reuters. "Personally I am very much in favour of it. I think it's a great system."

The DRS has been adopted by most Test-playing countries since it was first used in the India-Sri Lanka Test series in Sri Lanka in 2008. But India have steadfastly refused to use the system since struggling to come to grips with it on that tour, voicing concerns about the technology's accuracy; and the BCCI declined to have it in place for the upcoming tour of England.

Among the senior players who aren't convinced of the accuracy of ball-tracking technology is Sachin Tendulkar, who recently said that the DRS would be "more effective with the support of the Snickometer and Hot Spot technology." Kirsten agreed there was still room for improvement within the system. (Also Read: Consistency the key to DRS: Tendulkar)

"There can be a few adjustments. I know one thing that was discussed at the [ICC] cricket committee [meeting in March] was that they might bring down two appeals per inning to one appeal so that it takes away the strategy around using DRS.

"The tool is there to improve umpiring so it takes away the players using it as a strategic tool. I know that is being floated but I don't know if that has been passed yet."